Springvale Township to return donations

Springvale Township board members decided Tuesday to return money that was donated in an unsuccessful effort to keep township residents' library service in Petoskey intact.

The Petoskey Public Library's June 30 deadline for Springvale to make $6,670 in service payments passed with no money received. As a result, the library removed Springvale from its service area. Now, township residents seeking borrowing privileges normally will need to buy an $85-per-year non-resident card.

Last year, Springvale board members decided against making a payment for library services, noting concerns that they couldn't verify residency for the growing number of cardholders they were being billed for. Library director Karen Sherrard has said a state library privacy law normally prevents her facility from sharing patrons' identifying information.

Some township officials also have noted that a tight budgetary picture makes it more difficult to pay rising library charges.

When Springvale didn't make its 2007-08 payment for services by the Dec. 31, 2007, deadline, library officials indicated that free borrowing privileges would come to an end for township residents after June 30.

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But with some local residents offering to contribute toward Springvale's library bill to preserve service, board members decided earlier this year to look into this.

Petoskey agreed to reinstate Springvale's contract if $6,670 for services in 2007-08 and 2008-09 would have been paid by June 30.

Springvale clerk Rick Brady said about three contributions totaling $1,350 were received.

"Due to the lack of participation in providing additional funds, we need to return that money," he said.

Noting that the township had budgeted $1,500 for library services last year, Brady said the board perhaps could have considered making a similar amount available toward the recent bill. But even if the board had agreed to do so, the township still would have been more than $3,000 shy of the amount due.

The clerk expects refunds will be sent out later this month.

Penal fines collected by the court system serve as a library funding source. If a township designates all or part of its penal-fine allotment to a library - and the funds are accepted - the library is obligated to provide service.

The Petoskey library has taken steps to reject Springvale's penal fines because of the per-cardholder payment issues.

In June, the township board decided to explore several possibilities for its allotment: directing it to the Alanson Area Public Library, splitting the allotment between the Alanson and Indian River libraries or having the funds held in reserve.

On Tuesday, Brady said township supervisor Tom Bernard - who was absent from the meeting because of a vacation - hadn't informed him of any findings about these options.

Sue Warner, vice president of the Alanson library's board, said Springvale had inquired about service there last fall, but added that she didn't know of any follow-up inquiries from township officials.

"I think that's a bridge we've got to cross when it happens," Warner said of possibilities for serving Springvale residents.

Cindy Lou Poquette, director of the Indian River Area Library, said she hadn't been in direct contact with township officials about service either - and that she couldn't yet say how the library would respond to such a request.

"For the sake of the people who live there," Poquette said she hopes Springvale might re-establish ties with the closer Petoskey library.

"(People are) more likely to use what a library has to offer if it's easy," she said.